I was surprised to hear that CBS tabbed Gus Johnson to call the action Saturday for their debut EliteXC event, mainly because Johnson has built his reputation in college basketball. Johnson is a great announcer, and maybe more importantly for EliteXC and the sport, he’s a mainstream announcer. I think he’s a great fit and should be a blast to listen to on Saturday night. I'm also impressed with the way he's embraced the sport and his new assignment.

Johnson recently took some time out of his schedule to talk with baltimoresun.com about mixed martial arts and Saturday's EliteXC: Primetime broadcast on CBS (9 p.m. EST), which will be the first live, prime-time MMA event on network television.

How did you get involved in the event?

CBS decided they wanted to get into the MMA business and they looked down their stable of announcers and thought I’d be a good fit. I got a call from the bosses and here I am.
 
Do you have any background in MMA?

I do have a background in martial arts. I study kung-fu, I’ve been a boxer for a number of years. I also recently started jiu-jitsu, so I have an opportunity to bring some of that [to] our broadcast.

When you saw CBS was picking up MMA, was it something you wanted to be a part of?

Are you looking forward to the event? Yeah, I’m really excited. I’ve always been a casual fan of MMA but now that I’ve had an opportunity to delve into it more seriously, I think it’s a wonderful sport. I love the competition, the honor and code the sport presents. It’s the sport of the future. I think this is what the kids like and I think MMA will be a mainstream event and it all starts on the 31st and I’m tickled pink to be a part of it.

Do you think MMA can become mainstream?

Yeah, if you look at what they are doing in the UFC and EliteXC has a big deal with Showtime, I think that its growing and the challenge will be to educate people that are watching it for the first time. We have to give them an idea of what they are seeing, especially if the fight hits the ground and with the jiu-jitsu aspect. Once we can make terms like “triangle choke” and “rear-naked choke” and “arm-bar” household words like a jab or a cross or an uppercut, that’s when MMA will really, really hit a point that will allow it to become one of the big sports in the country.

What type of prep work goes into a broadcast like this?

Well, I’m sitting here going over stuff right now. All kinds of info sent to me, I’m looking at James “Colossus” Thompson. I’ve got tons of research material and the challenge is to condense it and to put it in a good framework for myself. I’ve been watching a lot of film of different fights and I’ve been studying jiu-jitsu, so I’ve been rolling on a mat to know what moves feel like. I was telling someone the other day that I’ve only been doing jiu-jitsu for a month and I’ve been choked out more in that month than in my entire life and I like it, it’s fun.

What do you think about Kimbo Slice?

Kimbo Slice is such an interesting story. A former top linebacker [at] a Miami high school and he was on his way to major D-I scholarship before Hurricane Andrew hit and wiped out his senior season and changed his life. Those are the kind of stories you want to present as the night is going on so I’m trying to make sure I’m familiar with them and can speak fluidly on them when they hit the ring.

Editor's note: Click here for photos of Kimbo Slice and here for a column on Slice by The Sun's Bill Ordine.

What do you think is the biggest misconception the casual sports fan has about MMA?

Well, my father asked me a question about it when I told him I was getting ready to call this and he said, “Son, is that real?” My father is 75 years old so he’s thinking of professional wrestling I guess but I said, “Yeah, dad. It’s real.” He said, “Oh my goodness, if that’s real, it’s brutal” and I said, “Yeah, it’s brutal but there’s also a genius to it.” I think the biggest misconception for people who haven’t watched it before is “Is it real? Or is it wrestling?”

What do you think of Slice’s quick rise to fame?

Kimbo Slice is America. Especially in these tough times, everyone needs to have a little Kimbo Slice in them. Meaning, this guy has literally fought his way out of homelessness, fought his way out of poverty, fought his way into American consciousness and fought his way onto prime-time television. I think he’s truly an American success story and a story that should be celebrated, and come May 31, I think we’ll have an opportunity for the whole world to get to really know this man -- he’s a man worth knowing.

What would you say to a casual fan who is on the fence about tuning in Saturday?

Check it out. These guys are hard workers. There’s not a whole lot of money in this. They train their bodies to take all sorts of punishment. They are artists and athletes. Open your mind and grit your teeth a little bit because it’s primal, it’s violent but it’s something worth watching and appreciating.

What’s one thing you would want people to know about yourself?

That I’m just like them. I’m just a regular guy that likes sports and was blessed enough to be guided into the best business in the world for a sports fan, broadcasting.

What advice would you give students who want to be the next Gus Johnson?

Do it, do it. Map it out, plan it, eat it, live it, figure it out and work on it. Knock down doors. Don’t take no for an answer. Do everything you can to live your dream.

You know what, I’d give them the same advice my mom gave me a long time ago. Whatever you do, make sure you jump out of bed in the morning to do it even if it only pays you enough to meet your bills.

Photo courtesy of CBSSports.com